"Virat Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world" : Javed Miandad

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"Virat Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world" : Javed Miandad

Pakistan’s recently concluded tour of New Zealand ended in a near disaster for the Champions Trophy winners as they lost the ODI series by a 5-0 margin but managed to redeem some semblance of respect by winning the T20I series.

Whilst Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men can rightly derive some satisfaction from reclaiming the Number 1 position in ICC’s T20I rankings, the fact remains that serious questions are being asked about the current state of Pakistan cricket and its future direction, both at the senior and the Under 19 level.

For Javed Miandad, who was regarded as one of the top batsmen of his time and one who amassed 16213 runs in 357 international matches, the spate of disappointing performances as headlined by the loss against India Under 19s in the ICC Cricket World Cup is merely an indicator of the malaise which is currently afflicting Pakistan cricket. In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Miandad felt that the gulf between the quality of the two Under 19 teams was clearly visible, with the Pakistan Under 19s possibly fortunate that they reached the semi-final stage in the first place.

“The loss to India in the ICC Under 19 World Cup was by a big margin of 203 runs which is hard to take but if truth be told, our team was lucky to have progressed that far given the inexperience of our players. Of course, victory and defeat are part of any sport, but we need to accept that there was a huge difference in terms of skills between both teams. Also, we should not be too hard on our boys as we saw how recently in South Africa, the Indian senior team which has some very big names failed miserably in 2 of 3 Tests, so such things can happen, and we cannot be too harsh on the Pakistan Under 19 team.”

The furore that engulfs any defeat against Pakistan’s arch-rival seemed to centre around the fact that India Under 19 were coached by the immensely experienced Rahul Dravid, whilst the Pakistan coach was Mansoor Rana. Could such a gulf in experience be the real reason for Pakistan Under 19s loss?

“Having a coach like Rahul Dravid sounds very exciting but I have never been a great supporter of big name coaches at such a level. At this level, it more about guidance than someone teaching you the basics of the game as that should have been done at the earlier stages of a player’s development. In sports, teams lose and get relegated in leagues, but the blame is never put on coaches alone. The fact is that if your raw material i.e. the quality of the players for the team is questionable then how can one expect a coach to fix that and make them a winning unit?”

Javed Miandad has never held back in his criticism of Pakistan’s domestic cricket system which in his view has been a major impediment to the dreams and aspirations of many aspiring cricketers. The issues with the senior and junior teams are but symptoms of a larger problem as he explained, “India is a huge country with a bigger population than Pakistan, yet our players are able to challenge India in cricket which tells me that we have the potential, but we simply do not have the system that can support and get the best out of that potential. From the lack of good training facilities to sub-standard wickets, the problems that our youngsters face in playing cricket are just indescribable. We have children starting to play cricket in side streets instead of learning their game in proper grounds. When people understand how our kids learn their cricket, then they will understand the reason for our current cricketing issues. I am sorry, but the present-day authorities due to their unprofessional behaviour have destroyed the system that used to produce teams which could beat the top teams of the world like the West Indies at a time when they were unbeatable. This was the same set-up from where counties would pick many players for their sides as they found the quality of the cricketers to be so good. To me, our regional cricket has failed to produce players, despite consuming money. In contrast, in places like Australia there are regional teams such as New South Wales which continue to produce world-class players on their own, so clearly there is something wrong with our setup.”

Known for his ability to rescue Pakistan from impossible situations and to be able to turn games around when all hope was lost, Javed Miandad probably sees a lot of himself in the manner in which India’s captain Virat Kohli continues to impress with his batting. To Javed Miandad, Kohli’s impressive form in all formats of the game is the perfect example of what technically correct batsmen can achieve.

“What I really admire about Indian batsmen and the reason why they are so successful, is the fact that their batting technique is correct. In Virat Kohli’s case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman’s technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli’s case. To me the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world.”

Pakistan’s ODI series debacle in New Zealand left most fans and experts scratching their heads especially after it was felt that the side had turned a new leaf after their Champions Trophy win. A veteran of many ODI battles and also a key member of the World Cup winning team of 1992, Javed Miandad feels that the Pakistani batsmen did not show enough patience when constructing their innings.

“ODI pitches are by definition helpful to batsmen and we saw that New Zealand had no issues, and they also played in a calm manner with controlled aggression. In contrast, our batsmen seemed to be in a hurry and did not have a target in mind. If you play in that way, without thought or planning, the result is what we saw in the ODI series. You have to play with patience and preserve wickets and understand that this is a 50-over game, not a shorter format. The batsmen need to know their target and then bat accordingly as opposed to trying to score without an end goal. When you play in that haphazard fashion, you end up with most of your wickets gone by the middle of the innings and more panic sets in. The 50-overs game is what I refer to as proper cricket. In this format, you also need to know which deliveries to leave and not just try and blast every ball you see.”

After Pakistan’s victory in the Champions Trophy, it was widely anticipated that the confidence of the win would help Sarfaraz Ahmed in his first assignment as Test captain in the series against Sri Lanka. However, to the surprise and disappointment of many, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in the UAE with a 2-0 Test whitewash. Whilst some amount of blame could be put on Sarfaraz’s inexperience, the general consensus was that the absence of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan were the main reasons for Pakistan’s loss. Whilst Javed Miandad may not fully agree with this assessment, he does feel that the departure of the two stalwarts should have been anticipated and better planning done in advance to avert this situation.

“There were many factors for that loss and lack of good batsmen was one of them. Now, whether we can find a replacement for Misbah and Younis is something only time will tell but what is shocking is the lack of planning. In other countries around the world, the think-tanks look at the player’s advancing age and start to plan for his future replacements. How is it that our management did not realise that this was the case? Having said that, I was never of the opinion that both batsmen should leave cricket as I know that we have no batsmen ready who can stay at the wicket, who can defend well or even be able to leave the ball when needed. I am afraid, we are not getting the kind of batsmen who have good techniques because there is no one to teach them at the junior level. Yes, they will do well in Sharjah and Dubai but they will fail in better quality pitches overseas. This is where Misbah and Younis would shine. Unfortunately, our youngsters are now being coached via words and theory and that will not help in building their confidence to take on the role of Misbah and Younis in the future.”

Javed Miandad is a vocal critic of modern-day coaching techniques which he feels are not delivering the sort of batsmen Pakistan needs today. He is adamant that his own unique style of instruction has always been more successful as he explained, “During my time in charge, I was not the one to stand on the sidelines when coaching players. In fact, in practice games, I would be on the pitch guiding players through match situations and helping them understand how to score runs or take wickets in different stages of the match. Cricket is a game where you cannot just speak about it, but you need to teach technique in a practical way too which I used to do. Incidentally, it was I who introduced the ‘slab’ which now the teams carry around with them. I realised that we cannot make good practice wickets so the best way to prepare for bounce and fast bowling was by use of this slab. To me this was the cheapest and easiest way to train batsmen and it was effective too.”

Pakistan’s batting despite inordinate amounts of attention to its problems, has failed to deliver over a period of many years. Domestic cricket has produced many quality batsmen but their inability to perform at the international level is a cause of concern as well as disappointment. To Javed Miandad, the issues with Pakistan's batting are simply down to selectors inability to take hard decisions.

“We seem to have a very relaxed and easy attitude to failure amongst our batsmen. We simply do not remove such batsmen from our teams by saying that we have no one to replace such players. The dropped batsmen goes back to domestic cricket and because he has played international cricket before, he has no real issues performing well in first-class with the result that before you know it, he is back in the international side and the cycle continues.”

Sarfaraz Ahmed’s on-field behaviour with his team members has caused some consternation amongst followers of the game. His style of captaincy which seems to involve having harsh words at players is not everyone’s cup of tea and Javed Miandad feels that the issue lies in the arbitrary way in which we develop players for captaincy, “Sarfaraz is our captain and I have no issues with him as captain but the fact is that we really do not have a system for developing players for the role of captain and this is why we are seeing someone like Sarfaraz behaving in this way with his players. I don’t think you will ever find such an example in other teams. If a captain does that in the England side, he will be sacked immediately. A player who is to be made captain is watched for years for his behaviour before he is recommended for the role, but in our country, this is not the case. In my time, we had all sorts of players with huge egos but Mushtaq Mohammad was our captain and he dealt with them with tact, as captaining a side is an art and an education of sorts which takes time to learn and needs to be completed before being given that job. Before picking a captain for the side, the selectors shouldn't just look at a player's batting or bowling or wicket-keeping skills, but they must also pay special attention to his conduct which ultimately has an effect on the morale of the team.”

Javed Miandad was never one to hold back his thoughts or mince his words during his playing career and has carried on with the same gusto after retirement. It is perhaps this same unfettered style of thinking which has made him one of the strongest critics of the manner in which the Pakistan Cricket Board has failed to effectively run the game in Pakistan. The lack of oversight within the organisation is an underlying theme in his criticism and one that he stands by quite vociferously, “We have a situation where people who work for the PCB are collecting wages for doing no work and don’t seem to be worried about losing their jobs for incompetence. We have little control over financial matters and the manner in which expenses are claimed. We are not utilising ex-cricketers to ensure that the game is given a proper direction, if we did then Inzamam-ul-Haq or Mushtaq Ahmed who played their cricket from Multan and Sahiwal would have been heads of their regional cricket associations helping develop local cricketers. To me, it is sad to see this situation but the fact is that Pakistan cricket is in a bad shape because of the lack of accountability in the PCB”, he concluded.

Miandad knows a thing or two about consistency. Didn't he score like 7 or 8 fifties in a row? Even in club cricket being consistent is very hard. You just have to switch on and off and on and off.. It is a tedious process. Brian Lara once said he wanted to have a scoring pattern like Sachin. What he meant was instead of scoring one 200 and two 30s, H would rather score 2 centuries and a 50. Team can rely on you. You become that much more dependable. Dhoni for a period showed remarkable consistency as well.

Miandad knows a thing or two about consistency. Didn't he score like 7 or 8 fifties in a row? Even in club cricket being consistent is very hard. You just have to switch on and off and on and off.. It is a tedious process. Brian Lara once said he wanted to have a scoring pattern like Sachin. What he meant was instead of scoring one 200 and two 30s, H would rather score 2 centuries and a 50. Team can rely on you. You become that much more dependable. Dhoni for a period showed remarkable consistency as well.

An ATG batter, but a poor coach and an armchair critic, who hasn't really done much when in charge.
First he says, a big name coach isn't needed at u19 level as it only needs guidance rather than teaching technique, yet he himself was a coach for 3 or 4 tenures at a higher level than u19, where you can't teach technique either. That's quite contradictory.

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain and maverick batsman of the 80s Javed Miandad has hailed India skipper Virat Kohli as a "genius who is the best batsman in the world". On Wednesday, Kohli scored his 34th ODI century - an unbeaten 160 - to set up India's 124-run win over South Africa in Cape Town, which has left the No 1 ranked ODI team up 3-0 in the six-match series.

In an interview to Pakpassion.net, Miandad singled out Kohli's technical prowess and ability to rescue India from difficult situations and steer them to victories as the hallmark of a "great" batsman - traits which saw Miandad earn cult status in world cricket during his playing days (16,213 runs in 357 international games).

"In Virat Kohli's case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman's technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli's case. To me the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world," said Miandad, who scored 7381 runs at an average of 41.70 in 233 ODIs.

Miandad also spoke of the recent ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, which was won by the Indian U-19 team led by Prithvi Shaw and coached by Rahul Dravid. India U-19s were unbeaten all tournament, and in the semi-finals decimated Pakistan U-19s by 203 runs. Just two Pakistan players made it to double-digits as the innings folded for just 69 in 29.3 overs.

Miandad, never one to hold back his views on the state of Pakistan cricket, felt the Pakistan U-19 team was fortunate to have made the knockouts of the junior World Cup but that it would be unfair to judge them by this tournament, given the lack of support in the country.

"The loss to India in the ICC Under-19 World Cup was by a big margin of 203 runs which is hard to take but if truth be told, our team was lucky to have progressed that far given the inexperience of our players. Of course, victory and defeat are part of any sport, but we need to accept that there was a huge difference in terms of skills between both teams. India is a huge country with a bigger population than Pakistan, yet our players are able to challenge India in cricket which tells me that we have the potential, but we simply do not have the system that can support and get the best out of that potential," said the 60-year-old who captained Pakistan in 34 Tests and 62 ODIs.

"From the lack of good training facilities to sub-standard wickets, the problems that our youngsters face in playing cricket are just indescribable. We have children starting to play cricket in side streets instead of learning their game in proper grounds. When people understand how our kids learn their cricket, then they will understand the reason for our current cricketing issues. I am sorry, but the present-day authorities due to their unprofessional behaviour have destroyed the system that used to produce teams which could beat the top teams of the world like the West Indies at a time when they were unbeatable."
However, Miandad - whose last-ball six off Chetan Sharma in an ODI at Sharjah in 1986 remains an unforgettable moment in India-Pakistan sporting history - did not feel that having a coach of Dravid's pedigree would have had a huge impact on India U-19s.

"Having a coach like Rahul Dravid sounds very exciting but I have never been a great supporter of big name coaches at such a level. At this level, it more about guidance than someone teaching you the basics of the game as that should have been done at the earlier stages of a player's development," said Miandad, who also coached the senior Pakistan team. "In sports, teams lose and get relegated in leagues, but the blame is never put on coaches alone. The fact is that if your raw material i.e. the quality of the players for the team is questionable then how can one expect a coach to fix that and make them a winning unit?"

Pakistan are ranked No 1 in T20Is, sixth in ODIs and seventh in Tests.

Virat Kohli has left cricket fraternity in awe with his prolific run scoring ability in all three formats of the game. Kohli, who scored his 34th ODI hundred to fashion Indian cricket team’s win against South Africa in Cape Town on Wednesday, keeps receiving praise from both past and present cricketers across the world.

The latest to join the club of Kohli admirers is Javed Miandad, former Pakistan cricket team captain and one of the legends of the game. Miandad, who was known for an aggressive brand of cricket during his playing days, declared Kohli as the best batsman in the world during an interview with pakpassion.net.

Yuzvendra Chahal-Kuldeep Yadav’s spin web unbelievable: Virat Kohli
Underlining the importance of having a right technique to become a great batsman, Miandad attributed Kohli’s remarkable success to his correct batting technique and ability to adapt to different conditions and bowlers.

“In Virat Kohli’s case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman’s technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli’s case. To me the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers,” he said.

With a tally of 34 hundreds in ODIs, Kohli is behind to only compatriot Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 centuries. Considering he is only 29 looks good to play for the next six-seven years, he seems all set to break the master’s record. Kohli has also scored 21 hundreds in Tests. At present, he is the only batsman in the world who averages 50 plus in all three formats of the game.

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad heaped praise on Virat Kohli and the rest of the current crop of Indian batsmen. “What I really admire about Indian batsmen and the reason why they are so successful, is the fact that their batting technique is correct,” he is quoted as saying by pakpassion.net, “In Virat Kohli’s case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat.”

“If a batsman’s technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli’s case,” he said. Kohli has gone on overdrive in India’s ongoing tour of South Africa. India have won the three ODIs played so far and Kohli has scored centuries in two of them. He scored 160 off 159 in the Cape Town ODI and was unbeaten after coming into bat after the very first over of the match. “To me the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world,” said the Pakistan great.

Miandad also said that the gulf between the state of the game in Pakistan and India was evident from the way the Pakistan U-19 team lost to India in the recently concluded World Cup. At the same time, he also said that being too harsh on the Pakistan players would be unfair “The loss to India in the ICC Under 19 World Cup was by a big margin of 203 runs which is hard to take but if truth be told, our team was lucky to have progressed that far given the inexperience of our players,” he said, “Of course, victory and defeat are part of any sport, but we need to accept that there was a huge difference in terms of skills between both teams. Also, we should not be too hard on our boys as we saw how recently in South Africa, the Indian senior team which has some very big names failed miserably in 2 of 3 Tests, so such things can happen, and we cannot be too harsh on the Pakistan Under 19 team.”

India captain Virat Kohli time and again has proved why he is one of the most celebrated cricketers of the current time. Kohli displayed temperament, skill and immaculate precision in the third One-day International (ODI) against South Africa en route his majestic 160 not out, which helped his team defeat the mighty South Africans by a margin of 124 runs. Following his incredible knock, cricketers worldwide heaped praise on the Indian captain for his match-winning knock and touted him as one of the best in the business. Among all the plaudits, batting great Javed Miandad in an interview with pakpassion.net hailed Kohli for his batting technique which helps him score runs at will.

"To me, the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world," Miandad said.

The former Pakistan captain, who is known for his ability to rescue his team from the jaws of defeat, said that he admires the Indian batsmen for their batting technique, which makes them successful.

"What I really admire about Indian batsmen and the reason why they are so successful, is the fact that their batting technique is correct. In Virat Kohli's case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman's technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli's case," Miandad added.

Javed Miandad doesn’t believe that Rahul Dravid’s coaching had too much impact on India’s U-19 team as he feels that it is the raw talent that is quintessential. Criticizing the lack of support from the PCB for youth cricket, he also stated that Pakistan were lucky to reach the semis of the event.

India’s domineering success in the U-19 World Cup has brought huge accolades for head coach Dravid, whose commitment and discipline were clearly reflected in the colts’ conduct throughout the tournament. Former Pakistan player Ramiz Raja had even suggested a mentor like Dravid for the struggling Pakistan side, who could sculpt the raw talent into a furnished model for the future.

However, former Pakistan captain, Javed Miandad, doesn’t feel the same way about his nation’s future. Speaking about Pakistan’s U-19 World Cup campaign, which ended in the semi-final against India, the 60-year-old stated that the youth coaching is more about guidance rather than big names at the helm.

“Having a coach like Rahul Dravid sounds very exciting but I have never been a great supporter of big name coaches at such a level. At this level, it more about guidance than someone teaching you the basics of the game, as that should have been done at the earlier stages of a player's development.

"In sports, teams lose and get relegated in leagues, but the blame is never put on coaches alone. The fact is that if your raw material i.e. the quality of the players for the team is questionable then how one can expect a coach to fix that and make them a winning unit?" asked Miandad, during an interview with Pakpassion.net.

He was also asked about Virat Kohli, who is now averaging an incredible 318 runs, and has been in magnificent form in South Africa. The Indian skipper has played the starring role in India's series and has already led the visitors to a 3-0 lead in the six-match ODI series. And the Pakistan legend was quick to heap praise on the Indian skipper stating him as a "genius who is the best batsman in the world".

"In Virat Kohli's case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman's technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli's case.

“To me, the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world," he said.

Miandad, who played 357 international games for Pakistan and scored 16,213 runs, has been one of the biggest critics of Pakistan cricket and has never held back his views. And when has asked about Pakistan’s elimination at the knockout stages in the U-19 World Cup, he lashed out at the lack of support in the country at the developmental level.

"The loss to India in the ICC Under-19 World Cup was by a big margin of 203 runs which is hard to take but if truth be told, our team was lucky to have progressed that far given the inexperience of our players. Of course, victory and defeat are part of any sport, but we need to accept that there was a huge difference in terms of skills between both teams. India is a huge country with a bigger population than Pakistan, yet our players are able to challenge India in cricket which tells me that we have the potential, but we simply do not have the system that can support and get the best out of that potential," he added.

I am torn about this. While it’s excellent that PP has access to some of the biggest names in Pakistan cricket, someone like Miandad has absolutely nothing insightful to say about the management of Pakistan cricket.

I'm a huge fan of Kohli but unless he makes a telling contribution in ODI ICC finals or semis, there shouldnt be a talk of GOAT yet. In T20Is he already did and he will be a GOAT. I distinctly remember his body language in the ODI WC semis against AUS and the CT finals against Pak. He was so nervous. These ODI hundreds elsewhere indicate he is supremely gifted and extremely dedicated but thats ehere the story ends for now.

I am torn about this. While it’s excellent that PP has access to some of the biggest names in Pakistan cricket, someone like Miandad has absolutely nothing insightful to say about the management of Pakistan cricket.

Maybe because he has no idea on what management really is? That is the issue with most of our ex players...they have hardly ever read a book or worked in an organization where management or professionalism was of international standards.They really don't know a thing about how organizations/institutes should be and to expect anything from these ex cricketers in this space is wishful thinking by fans.

Javed Miandad was never one to hold back his thoughts or mince his words during his playing career and has carried on with the same gusto after retirement. It is perhaps this same unfettered style of thinking which has made him one of the strongest critics of the manner in which the Pakistan Cricket Board has failed to effectively run the game in Pakistan. The lack of oversight within the organisation is an underlying theme in his criticism and one that he stands by quite vociferously, “We have a situation where people who work for the PCB are collecting wages for doing no work and don’t seem to be worried about losing their jobs for incompetence..

An ATG batter, but a poor coach and an armchair critic, who hasn't really done much when in charge.
First he says, a big name coach isn't needed at u19 level as it only needs guidance rather than teaching technique, yet he himself was a coach for 3 or 4 tenures at a higher level than u19, where you can't teach technique either. That's quite contradictory.

Miandad was strong with his technical knowledge but poor at communication. He expected players to listen to him because of what he had achieved but it doesnt quite work like that and hence the falling out with nearly everybody. Out of all the PK coaches he was the most passionate but ironically the least liked.

It takes one brilliant player to recognize another. He was one heck of a smart player who had the ability to decipher a bowler within a few balls. JM lacked coaching/mentoring skills but he was one of the most technically sound batsman of his era and a much respected and feared batsman. Still remember the misery he often hyped on the Indian team during the 80's/90's particularly the CBFS series which ended Chetan Sharma's career (the famous last ball 6)

JM's Compliment for any batsman on their technique is a very high standard that IMHO other batsmen should aspire for. The other legend, Sir Viv Richards agrees too so there has to be something in VK that other's fail to see or don't want to

I'm a huge fan of Kohli but unless he makes a telling contribution in ODI ICC finals or semis, there shouldnt be a talk of GOAT yet. In T20Is he already did and he will be a GOAT. I distinctly remember his body language in the ODI WC semis against AUS and the CT finals against Pak. He was so nervous. These ODI hundreds elsewhere indicate he is supremely gifted and extremely dedicated but thats ehere the story ends for now.

Cause 1-2 matches makes a difference on how good a player is right? Logic on this post ...

Every game is a pressure situation. Have you seen the way he is performing in SA in ODI? If we go with your logic, ABD is one hell of a crappy batsmen then, so is tendulkar since he did absoltely nothing in the 2011 final. Also, the likes of Kevin P., Saeed Anwar, etc would also fall in that catagory aswell, and the list goes on. Do you see how your logic is flawed? Cricket isn't a one show, its a team show.

Every game is a pressure situation. Have you seen the way he is performing in SA in ODI? If we go with your logic, ABD is one hell of a crappy batsmen then, so is tendulkar since he did absoltely nothing in the 2011 final. Also, the likes of Kevin P., Saeed Anwar, etc would also fall in that catagory aswell, and the list goes on. Do you see how your logic is flawed? Cricket isn't a one show, its a team show.

When you're talking about the greatest batsmen ever, these things will be scrutinised. Obviously performances in World Cup finals and even semis will be of utmost importance, that's the biggest stage any ODI batsman can get. A World Cup final isn't just any other game.

No one talks about KP or Saeed Anwar as being the greatest in any format.

Every game is a pressure situation. Have you seen the way he is performing in SA in ODI? If we go with your logic, ABD is one hell of a crappy batsmen then, so is tendulkar since he did absoltely nothing in the 2011 final. Also, the likes of Kevin P., Saeed Anwar, etc would also fall in that catagory aswell, and the list goes on. Do you see how your logic is flawed? Cricket isn't a one show, its a team show.

Thats exactly why ABD and Amla arent considered GOATS. Kohli is a great batsman but to be considered a GOAT, he need to perform in ODI ICC knockouts. Sachin did in SF and QF in ODI World cups

When you're talking about the greatest batsmen ever, these things will be scrutinised. Obviously performances in World Cup finals and even semis will be of utmost importance, that's the biggest stage any ODI batsman can get. A World Cup final isn't just any other game.

No one talks about KP or Saeed Anwar as being the greatest in any format.

Ok, So are we really gonna sit here and consider Gotham Gambir > Virat Kholi in ODI as a batsmen?

It's not either or. A GOAT should have insane consistency and numbers like Kohli does and also nerves of steel to win clutch matches.

He is not the best captain and flies his emotion all around but that's where it stops. His batting shows plenty of nerve of steel. I find it unfair to judge a player on a couple of match performance but rather judge him on his career.

The argument made by the other poster was you have to have an amazing score in the finals/crunch match to be a so called goat. Gambir was instrumental in the final hence why I stated that.

He didn't say that's the only criterion.

Originally Posted by light

He is not the best captain and flies his emotion all around but that's where it stops. His batting shows plenty of nerve of steel. I find it unfair to judge a player on a couple of match performance but rather judge him on his career.

He is more than good enough to perform on the big stage and probably has at least two more World Cups in him to display that.

He is not the best captain and flies his emotion all around but that's where it stops. His batting shows plenty of nerve of steel. I find it unfair to judge a player on a couple of match performance but rather judge him on his career.

The way I saw it, it's not just about 1 or 2 matches. The body language and the shots he was playing was totally unlike him. Thought he wasn't able to manage the pressure. Amir was just insane in the CT final but the way he got out in WC SF against Johnson was unkohli like

When you're talking about the greatest batsmen ever, these things will be scrutinised. Obviously performances in World Cup finals and even semis will be of utmost importance, that's the biggest stage any ODI batsman can get. A World Cup final isn't just any other game.

No one talks about KP or Saeed Anwar as being the greatest in any format.

Let us say your team never got to final. Then what. This is why these arbirtray parameters don't make sense. It enhances the basic reputation they built. One or two innings don't make you a great player. All top batsmen were known for their outstanding bilater knocks. If someone asks what is the best sachin's knocks . 143 at Sharjah will be at the top then 175 while chasing australia's big total Then that 98 in WC which is not a knock out match. Same way best Knock of Richards would be his 189 in a bilateral series where he added 106 for the last wicket. For me Kohli's 133 at Hobarat where he ripped Malinga to shreds will always stay in my memory. Indians were ready to take the plane as if they could not win by 39th over they would go home. He did it with outrageous stroke play. He will eventually get it.

Let us say your team never got to final. Then what. This is why these arbirtray parameters don't make sense. It enhances the basic reputation they built. One or two innings don't make you a great player. All top batsmen were known for their outstanding bilater knocks. If someone asks what is the best sachin's knocks . 143 at Sharjah will be at the top then 175 while chasing australia's big total Then that 98 in WC which is not a knock out match. Same way best Knock of Richards would be his 189 in a bilateral series where he added 106 for the last wicket. For me Kohli's 133 at Hobarat where he ripped Malinga to shreds will always stay in my memory. Indians were ready to take the plane as if they could not win by 39th over they would go home. He did it with outrageous stroke play. He will eventually get it.

I remember that innings, King Kohli was awesome that day, Malinga was made to look like club level bowler